150 



NATIVE TOMH» 



upright fit each corner, and the sides were orna- 

 mented by rows of the ribs of the dugong placed 

 regularly along them. Between the two posts, 

 near the sea, a long stick had been inserted, orna- 

 mented with feathers and streamers of grass, and 

 fastened to the post by other eross sticks similarly 

 ornamented- On each post was either a large 

 shell or the skull of a dugong, and on the grave 

 were several other dugongs* skulls, and shells of the 

 nautilus porapilius. All these, as well as the posts, 

 were smeared with red ochre. We were careful not 

 to disturb or leave any other trace of our presence 

 than our foot-prints in the sand around, which it 

 would have given us too much trouble to erase. 



The whole of Endeavour Strait seemed perfectly 

 safe for shipping, except, in one or two places near 

 the shore. The only coral reefs were a few small 

 fringing reefs close to the islands, which are gene- 

 rally bold and rocky. The tides are very strong, and 

 the western entrance of the Strait is encumbered by 

 very large sand-banks, through which, however, 

 there is now a safe and direct passage surveyed, with 

 never less than four fathoms water at the lowest 

 spring tides. 



In February, 1845, we entered from the west- 

 ward, and got very safe anchorage under Bramble 

 island, while the wind was blowing strongly from 

 the westward. We lay there two days, during 

 which i accompanied Captain Blackwood and 

 Lieut. Ince on a boat excursion up an unexplored 



